No shot in the arm for expectant mothers

Although carriers of "panda blood" - as rhesus negative blood is known in China - enjoy the same lifestyles as other people, danger is always present, especially for women who have just given birth.

"If a carrier of rhesus negative blood has a postpartum hemorrhage, it's hard for hospitals to find this rare resource to help them," said Dan Yang, head of the department of science popularization at the China RH Union.

According to Dan, the union advises expectant mothers to provide their own donations of 400 cubic centimeters of blood. "Although 400 cc is far from adequate for a postpartum hemorrhage, it will buy the hospital time to find more blood," she said.